Railway signal device



FIG. 2.

E. L. KISER RAILWAY SIGNAL DEVICE Filed June 24, 1944 ign w Nov. 12,1946.

P Mm F m w M Patented Nov. 12, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OF FICE RAILWAY SIGNAL DEVICE Edward L. Kiser, St. Louis, Mo., assignor of onefourth toHoward L. Kiser, one-fourth to Archie E. Kiser, and

one-fourth to William E. Kiser Application June 24, 1944, Serial No. 541,87}

Claims. ((21. 116--175) bolts l as shown, or by welding, to the smokebox L of the locomotive, the locale of the devicecorresponding tothat of. present day signals.- It is The flag proper is of cloth and shreds or disintegrates quickly under adverse or even favorable weather conditions. Unusually violent air currents occasionally dislodge the flag from its socket; rain and similar unfavorable weather conditions play havocwith its proper functioning. Frequently soot and grime adhering to the surface thereof obliterate, to some extent at least, the color of the flag.

The primary object of my invention is to overcome these defects by providing a simple, easily mountable signal device, requiring no deviation in present locomotive construction. In other words, the device of my conception is readily adaptable to locomotives in use at the present time,

More specifically, it is an object of my invenments of the railway signal code, which will function eiiectively under all weather conditions, and which will obviatethe loss of, removal of, and replacement of flags.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of a relatively inflexible flag, which in use simulates the fluttering cloth flag presently employed, which may be cleansed by washingshould soot and grime be found adhering to its surface, and which ma .be repainted color fade or become dull.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby a selected signal may be displayed, and means whereby a selected signal may be hidden from View.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent or pointed out in the followed detailed description.

In the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a side elevational mounted in proper position on tive;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof scale;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but on an enlarged scale to more clearly present details of construction;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the device;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on an enlarged scale, being taken on line 55 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the device per se.

As shown to best advantage in Fig. 4, the device, generally indicated A, includes a suitably contoured supporting bracket B, rigidly secured by view of my device a railway locomoon an enlarged occasionally should. its

here noted, that an identical signal device is mounted correspondingly onv the opposite side of the locomotive though not illustrated in the drawing. Preferably, the supporting bracket B is generally of inverted channel-shaped cross-section, and includes a relatively short lvertical side portion 3, a relatively. long side portion t, and ahorizontal web portion a base for mounting a night signal lamp indicated in broken lines, Figs. 3 and 4.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 6, the side wall portion 4 of bracket 13 is offset as at 6 and then continues rearwardly as at! for a reason to be explained hereinafter. A suitable bracket 3, welded or otherwise secured to the smokebox 2 and to said portion '1 may be employed to minimize vibration. An integral horizontal forwardly eX- tending ledge 9, is formed in the wall 5 at its upper end as shown.

At least two signals, hereinafter referred to as flags, are .pivotally mounted and supported on the wall 4 as indicated at Hi. In accordance with the present railway signal code, one of these flags, indicated generally by the symbol GF is green; the other, designated WF, is white.

Both flags are of identical construction and relatively inflexible weather proof material. Each includes a stafi I I, apertured to accommodate the pivot ill, and an ensign or flag proper 'l2-,provided with at least one or more laterally protruding vertical ribs or corrugations l3. Preferably, said rib or ribs are elongated to extend at least across the major portion of the member I2. Obviously they may extend from the upper to the lower margin of the flag if desired.

The forward or leading edge i l of each flag is oifset at right angles to thebody portion it thereof as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, said offset flange extending across and terminating inwardly beyond the inner margin of the staff. Suitable means, such as nut and bolt assemblies 15, may be employed to unify the stall and flag.

An inspection of Figs. 3 and 6 reveals that the lower extremity of each staff H is reduced in Width to provide a depending extension l6 and a pair of shoulders or abutments I! for cooperation with a compound leaf spring assembly l8 pivotally supported as shown at l9 on the bracket 8. The lower spring member iBa of the assembly bears against an abutment 2B, welded or otherwise secured to the bracket wall 4. The upper spring member I81) is provided with a pair. of spaced slot 2!, 2m, of a size to. accommodate the reduced extensions l6 of the spaced flage'taffs II. I

It is here noted that, .as clearly shown in Fig.

5, which may have an integral forwardly extending shelf portion 5a, to provide GE is on display, while the tive proceeds.

7 green flag, then the various elements of the device occupy the positions illustrated. The green flag white flag WF is hidden from view behind the off-set portion or blind i of bracket wall 4. The green flag is maintained in display position by leaf spring member itb, which bear against the shoulders ll of green staff H, the reduced extension iii of the latter being encompassedby the slot 2| in said spring member.

However, since the major portion of the flag is unfettered though relatively inflexible, a slight lateral undulation thereof is had as the locomo- The laterally protruding ribs l6 thus present to the eyes of one who observes the approaching locomotive, a simulation of the fluttering cloth flag now in use. In this connection, it is pointed out that the flange l4, being of greater width than the staff I I, also enhances the visibility of the on-coming flag.

The white flag WF, at this time, its staff H in horizontal position and resting on the ledge 9, is

hidden from view as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 3.

Assuming now that a white flag, run is scheduled, an attendant (usually the fireman of the locomotive) manually depresses the leaf spring member [8b,positions the green flag GF behind the blind I with its staff resting on the ledge 9, and then elevates the white flag WF 'until it occupies a position analogous to that previously occupied by the green flag, slot Zia being now employed.

Assuming that a run without signals is scheduled, both flags are lowered into position behind the shield l, and are thus hidden from view.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described herein, it is understood that modified structural changes may be had within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Iclaim; 1

l. A railway signal device including at least two signal members, each comprising a rigid staff and a relativelyinflexible flag portion fixed thereto, each of said stafis being apertured for pivotal mounting on the device and provided with a depending reduced extension at one end, each of said flag portions having formed therein laterally protruding elongated ribs which extend at least across the major portion of its surface, and each of said flag portions having formed thereon an offset lateral flange which extends across and slightly beyond the leading edge of said staff, and a compound leaf spring member mounted onsaid bracket the upper componentof which is provided with a pair of spaced slots each adapted to encompass the depending reduced extension of the staff with which it cooperates, when said staff is in vertical position.

2. In a railway signal device adapted for mounting on a locomotive, a supporting bracket, at least two signal members pivotally mounted on the bracket, each signal member including a rigid staff with a reduced depending extension thereon and a relatively inflexible flag portion fixed thereto, said flag portion having formed therein a plurality of laterally protruding elongated ribs extending across the major portion of its surmaintained in spaced rela-' face, a leaf spring assembly mounted on the bracket and provided with means adapted in cooperation with said reduced extension to maintain the sta'lf of a selected signal member in vertical position, said means comprising spaced slots formed in the upper leaf of said spring assembly in alinement with said staffs, whereby the reduced portion of a selected staff is adapted to enter the slot in alinement therewith and be releasably maintained in display position thereby, a ledge on the bracket adapted to support. the staif of the other signal member in horizontal position, an offset shield portion on the bracket .of a size adapted to completely conceal the hori zontally positioned signal member, means secured to the bracket and to the shield to minimize vibration of the latter, and a suspended base on the bracket adapted for mounting a night signal lamp thereon.

each comprising a rigid pivotally mounted staff and a relatively inflexible flag portion secured thereto, a plurality of elongated laterally protruding ribs formed in each flag portion on one side thereof, and an integral flange portion constituting the leading edge extending beyond the oppo site side thereof.

4. In a railway signal device adapted for mounting on a locomotive by means of a bracket and including at least two spaced signal members each comprising a rigid pivotally mounted staff and a relatively inflexible flag portion secured thereto, a plurality of elongated laterallyprotruding ribs formed in each flag portion on one sidejthereof, an integral flange portion constituting the leading edge extending beyond the opposite side thereof, an integral reduced depending extension forming the lower extremity of each staff when in display position, shoulders provided by said reduced depending extension, a compound leaf spring assembly pivotally mounted on the bracket including a first or lower component in engagement with a stationary abutment on said bracket, and a. second or upper component pro- .vided with a pair of spaced slots in alinement with saidstaffs, each of a size to encompass said reduced extension of the staff in alinement there'- with, the region of said upper component adjacent each of said slots being adapted to bear against said shoulders to releasably maintain a selected flag in signal position. I

5. In a railway signal device including a supporting bracket, at .least two spaced signal members each comprising a rigid staff pivotally mounted on the bracket and a relatively inflexible flag portion secured to the staff, means for releasably maintaining the signal members in display position, saidmeans including a reduced depending extremity on each staif; a pair of shoulders formed on each staff adjacent the reduced depending extremity thereof, and a compound leaf spring assembly pivotally niountedon the bracket comprising a first or lower leaf in constant engagement with a stationary abutment on the bracket and a second or upper leaf in releasable engagement with the shoulders of a selected staff, said upper leaf being provided with a pair of spaced slots each in alinement with and of a size adapted to receive and encompass the reduced extremity of the staff with which the slot, is aligned, V g

EDWARDL. KISEfl 

